Early December 2012 while the weather was stinking hot I decided to do a quick trip from Perth to a area that I had been looking at for some time just over 3 hours from home, I like to travel at night so packed up and on the move, When I got to the salt lake I took the Quad off the trailer and started to have a good look around the lake edges, after going right round the lake and working out where I was going to start detecting I went back to the 4x4 and got the GPX 5000 ready jumped into bed had a bit of a sleep, bright and early I was up and away.
All day I was getting bits of the normal junk and starting to think that I had jumped the gun and failed I walked back to the bike and as normal detecting as I went back, when I got to the edge of the lake I got the signal that any detectorist would be proud of, dug about 2 inches down and there it was, what a gem, back at the 4x4 chucked it on the scales and it came in just over the ounce, when I got home I was putting the GPS readings into the computer when I discovered that where I found it was someone's lease, my heart hit the ground, I went white and felt really bad. I had to wait till Monday morning before I could get to the Mines Dept to double check about the lease, yep it turned out that I was 30 meters into a lease. After speaking to the office staff there I told them that I wanted to return the nugget to the rightful owner, they contacted the owner for me and were allowed to give me their contact details. When I contacted the owner I asked if I could return to their lease and give them their newly found nugget.
3 hours travel back and I finally met the owners, the owners turned out to be a couple of older gents. I handed the nugget over. After many thanks from them and a chin wag they offered me to stay for the evening camp fire meal and some of the ale that they home brew, well not being a drinker the home brew done its job and I ended up staying the night.
I woke in the morning none worse for the wear. Anyway for the honesty of returning the nugget I made 2 new friends and now have permission to work their lease whenever I want, that's what I call worth the extra 6 hour round trip.
Grumpy - Australia